Leinster leader has big load

While competition in Leinster football has never been fiercer, the grand scheme of things shows that standards have fallen badly, writes Michael Foley

IN a month since the mild increase in value generated by Dublin and Meath, the Leinster championship has seen its stock slowly dip before reaching a crisis point. The qualifier system has cut a swathe through Leinster since, and prices have fallen through the floor in tandem.

The cull has been ruthless. Of the Leinster teams that have entered the qualifier system, five were beaten in their first game. The rest were quickly cut down. Carlow ran into a wall against Limerick, while Westmeath’s season was blown to smithereens by Clare. As Louth set off against Monaghan yesterday, only Dublin, Laois and Meath were left in the championship.

While this afternoon’s Leinster final can claim it will fill Croke Park in a manner last weekend’s Ulster final never threatened, it is currently dwarfed in terms of relevance to the championship. No Leinster team has made an All-Ireland semi-final since Dublin